Knitted neckwear



Nov. 12, 1935. J. sAFTLAs KNITTED NECKWEAR Filed NOV. l0, 1954 Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to knitted neckwear, and particularly to the double 'type of necktie which is provided with open ends formed by having a sheet or strip of knitted fabric folded inwardly from its opposite sides toward the center throughout substantially the full length of the tie, on what constitutes the back of the tie, with the two oppositely disposed edges of these inturned portions of the fabric being suitably seamed together to convert the otherwise flat and single thickness piece of knitted fabric into the form of a attened tube which is shaped along its length to provide the usual relatively broad and narrow free ends respectively of the tie with a still narrower neck-encircling portion, which is adapted to lie within the collar, disposed intermediate the two wider free ends of the tie.

In this form of tie, the opposite free ends thereof are usually rounded Ior otherwise shaped and consist of but a single thickness of lfabric constituting the outer layer of the double thickness tie, the inturned portions, constituting the inner layer of the tie having edges which converge from the extremities of the rounded or otherwise shaped ends of the tie to points spaced inwardly from the opposite ends of the tie respectively, at and intermediate which the oppositely disposed edges of the inturned parts of the fabric are joined together to produce the tubular part of the tie.

In cases where this type of tie is formed of knitted fabric produced in strip form on a flat knitting machine, the converging edges of the inturned portions of the tie are normally selvaged, while the rounded ends are provided with raw cut edges, the cut being made across or diagonally to either or both the walls and courses of stitches of which the fabric is composed.

In the case of ties made from wide flat knit sheets or large diameter tubes produced on cir-` cular seamless knitting machines, the rounded .or shaped ends of the tie and the converging edges of the inturned portions of the tie are all provided with raw cut edges extending across and/or parallel to the wales and/or courses of stitches in the fabric.

In order to prevent raveling of the raw cut edges of the knitted fabric in either of the above noted cases, such edges are bound in by a suitable overedge stitching. 'Ihese raw cut edges of the knitted fabric, both in the raw state and when bound against raveling by the overedge stitching are extremely susceptible to stretching in the direction of the length of the cut edge, the overedging, being of a highly extensible type of stitch, does not in any way affect this stretchability or extensibility of the cut edge.

Due to the stretchable condition of the cut edge extreme care must be taken in handling of the tie during the finishing stages, such as in boarding, pressing, packing, and etc., in order to avoid stretching of the cut edges which causes the said edges to become wrinkled or formed into more or less of a ruffle which, to the experienced 5 and discriminating buyer, is a highly objectionable feature.

The retailer in displaying his goods to prospective purchasers is frequently confronted with the problem of stretching of the cut edges of the knitted tie as caused by the prospective customer fingering or feeling the texture of the fabric and incidentally consciously or otherwise placing the cut edge under longitudinal tension, which causes the objectionable stretching.

When the converging edges of the inner portion of the tie are provided with a selvage, as above noted, this stretching is not so common. However, in some of the more loosely knitted goods or ties formed of fancy stitch fabrics such stretching will be found at times to a greater or lesser degree along the selvage edge.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the possibilities of stretching the free edges of the tie in the normal handling during the finishing operations and when offering the tie for sale.

The construction by which the object of this invention is attained will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawing; of which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a tie of the type above noted with the inner face of the tie exposed to view;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary face view of a portion of one of the free edges of the tie; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the reverse face of the tie.

As shown in Fig. l, the tie A is composed of any suitable knitted fabric l composed as usual of wales and courses of plain, ribbed, or fancy stitches. As usual, the tie is provided with a relatively broad end 2, a relatively narrower end 3, with a still narrower intermediate neck-encircling portion therebetween.

As shown in Fig. 1, the fabric is folded inwardly along its opposite longitudinal sides and the edges 5, 5 are stitched or otherwise secured together in any suitable manner from a point 6 inwardly disposed with respect to the extreme end of the the broader portion 2 of the tie to a point 1 inwardly disposed with respect to the extremity of the narrower end 3 of the tie.

'Ihe extreme ends of the broad and narrow parts 2 and 3 respectively are rounded or other- 55 wise shaped, as indicated at 8 and 9. From the lateral extremities 8a, 8a and 9a, 9a of the shaped cut edges 8 and 9 respectively the edges of the inturned portions of the fabric l converge from the full width of the tie toward `the points 6 and 69y I above referred to, as indicated at I0, I and II, II respectively.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cut edges 8, 9, I, and II are bound in against raveling by any suitable overedge stitching, illustrated. at I2,

wherein such binding stitching Vpasses laterally around the cut edge and is anchored to the fabric inwardly from and substantially parallel to the bound-in cut edge, as indicated at I3.

While the present invention is applicable to edges bound by any of the well known overedge stitchings, all of which to greater or lesser extent are readily yieldable in the direction of the length of the edge which is bound thereby, the edging shown in the present instance for the purpose of illustration comprises three interlooped threads I2a, I2b, and I2C. The thread I2a is of a relatively soft slightly twisted character arranged in more or less of a zig-Zag manner and lies flatly lto the cut edge 8, 9, III or II, as indicated at I.

The thread I2C is also interlooped with the thread i217' on the reverse face A2 of the fab-ric, intermediate the anchorage line I3 and the cut edge of the fabric, as indicated at I6. This type of i overedge stitching is commonly referred to as merrowing and is noted for its ability to. yield freely in the direction of the length of the edge which is bound thereby.

The structure so far described is normal practiceV and forms no part of the present invention per se, and with such normal structure the edgesV 8, 9, IIJ, and II are susceptible to stretching, wrinkling, andrruffling in the direction of the length of the edge, the yieldable character of the rnerrowing I2 permitting the overedge stitching to stretch concurrently with any and all stretching of the out edge of the fabric.

In order to prevent stretching of the cut and bound'edges 8, 9, II), and II, the present invention is directed to the placing of a continuous relatively non-extensible thread along adjacent and substantially parallel to each of these stretchable edges; and'to anchoring this thread directly to the fabric, against relative movement between the non-eXtensible thread and the fabric, at relatively closely spaced intervals longitudinally of the fabric edge, either inwardly beyond and adjacent the anchorage line ,I3 of the edging or Y Y 1 overlying the edging intermediate the anchorage line I3 and Vthe cut edge of the fabric. In the preferred form of the invention the nonstretchable strain-resisting thread islocated vbetween the anchorage line of the edging and the cut edge of the fabric asin this position, the strain-resisting thread may be made to blend with the edging and Vthereby become invisible in itself, wherebyV the finished tie for all intents and purposes presents the same appearance toa buyer as the usual merrow-edge tie. Y

Asshown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the strain and stretch resisting thread is applied in the yform of a line @il of ordinary interlooped chain stitches ZI, 2i which can readily be applied by any conventional sewing machine, theloops 2i, 2l being disposed, preferably, on the front face A1 of the Vand overedge stitching coeXtensive and concurfabric and the contiguous loopY connecting straight line portions 22 of the chain being disposed on the reverse face A2 of the fabric.

By running the chain 20 in the merrowing the stitches of the merrowing are held rmly in place 5 against relative spreading or displacement in addition to the chain taking and resisting all longitudinal tension on the edge `and edging.

In some cases, it has been the practice to run a soft cord loosely along the edge of the fabric to be held in by the overedge stitching I2 but this cord did not and was not intended to prevent stretching'of the edge, its only function being one of ornamentation, i. e. to thicken the edge of the fabric. In practice, such a cord did not prevent stretching of the edge andin fact'onlytended to accentuate the ruiiling caused by a person running the edge between the thumb and first finger of one hand while holding the edge rmly in between the thumb and first finger of the other hand, whereby the merrowing stitches became relatively misplaced and hunched in one place and spaced-wide apart inanother place due toV the sliding of the meri-owing along the loose cord and the adherence of the bunches of merrowing25.

stitches to the loose filling cord at various places along the edge of the tie.

The present invention is applicable to ties provided with the ornamental filling or thickening cord or thread in the same manner and for the same purpose, i. e. toprevent stretching of the edge of the tie and to keep the merrowing stitches in predetermined fixed position with respect'I to Yeach other, as above noted, and the presence of such a cord in the edge of the tie should not n become confused with lthe purpose and function of theV non-stretchable chain 20 inthe present The one in no way functions as or is the equivalent for the other, as each one has its own individual and specific purpose in the finished 4,0

article. Y

I claim:

1. In knitted neckwear having anormally longitudinally stretchable edge, aline of interconnected stitches adjacent said edge and relatively non-extensible in the direction of the length thereof.

2. In knitted neckwear having a cut edge normally stretchable in the directionof its length rently stretchable with said edge, a line of interconnected stitches adjacent saidV edgeV and relatively non-extensible in the direction of the length thereof.

3. In knitted neckwear having a cut edge nor- 5 mally stretchable in the direction of its length and overedge stitching Vanchored in ,the knitted neckwear inwardly from said'edge, saidroveredge stitching Ybeing coextensive and concurrently stretchable with said edge, a line of `interconnected stitches adjacent said edge and relatively non-` extensible in the direction of the length thereof adjacent the inner edge of said overedge stitch- Y ing. p

4. In knitted neckwear having a cut edge normally stretchable in` the direction. of its lengthV Vand overedge stitching anchored in the knitted neckvvear inwardly from said edge, said overedge Vstitching being coextensive and concurrently l V stretchable with said edge, a lineof interconnect- 

